a seat across from me, at my grandfather’s desk. My men took a seat around us. Tito did, as well.
The women were right. We didn’t love each other. We didn’t even like each other. But it was what it was. We tolerated. Fought our demons for the greater good of this family that somehow connected us.
That scene with my wife and sister haunted me. Taught me a great lesson. Never underestimate a woman when she needed something.
It made sense.
If they could give birth, they could do anything.
“Some things are coming down the wire,” he said, getting right to it.
“Charges,” I said.
He nodded. “Your grandfather heard some things. Came to see me at the restaurant. He wasn’t too surprised to see me. He knew what I was capable of. I respected Emilio. That’s why I never fucked with him directly, when I was toying with the rest of the families.” He cleared his throat. The scar made it hard for him to keep his voice level at times.
“The day we met at the restaurant, before he was ambushed, he wanted to discuss me leaving you alone. He said some men wanted to see you fail. He asked me to stay the ghost everyone believed me to be. Then he asked me to help squash some trouble you had gotten into a while back with the law. In Vegas. He said he would owe me one.”
“They left it alone,” I said.
“Until now. It’s not about that anymore, but about other things. Things your men have done. Things you have ordered to be done. Things they can trace back to you.” He looked at Calcedonio, then back at me. “It’s too many counts. Wiping won’t help. They’re not forgetting this time. It’ll just come back. They’re hitting all of the families at once. History repeating itself.”
“I gave them something to go hard at,” I said. I had worked at changing what this life of ours had become and what we needed it to be. Bringing the life back to the golden age again, and was successful, for the most part.
“By changing the game again, giving this life a second chance at the golden age, they’re doing the same thing they did back then. Going at it the same way. All five bosses will get the worst of it. They’re coming soon with charges.”
“What am I looking at?” I said.
“A hundred years.”
Calcedonio stood with his back to the wall, his arms crossed, shaking his head. Francesco looked at Tito and Uncle Carmine, who both stared at the wall.
“Terrible, terrible food,” Adriano said. “A hundred years-worth. I’m looking at ten and dreading it. I have Gilberts to think of, too.”
They were coming after Adriano with ten, unless he talked. One thing about him. He only opened his mouth for food. If they changed the menu, who the fuck knew what he’d do. And then he was in love with a fish.
“Leave us alone,” Mac said.
The men all nodded and left, shutting the door on the way out.
He leaned forward a little. “Even though you made the game harder for them, a little more exciting, it’s not you they’re focused on. Not like the others.”
“Drugs,” I said. My family didn’t fuck with them.
He nodded and then stood. “All you have to do is say the word,” he said. “Corrado Capitani won’t exist.”
“I’ve been exiled before,” I said. “I refuse to hide.”
“You can be sitting in the same chair you’ve always claimed, but if you don’t exist, they don’t see you. Even when you’re sitting right in front of them. And if that doesn’t convince you—there’s no such thing as loyalty in this life anymore, unless you’re a Fausti. And even they have weak links now. Your men will turn. They’ve already started to. Be loyal to those who are loyal to you.”
I stared at the wall after the door shut.
A hundred years.
My entire life.
I’d die behind bars.
The door to the office opened, and Alcina came in, holding Eleonora’s hand. She was due any day with our second child.
“Someone die?” my wife whispered. “The men—”
I pulled her to me, making her lose her breath. It wasn’t hard these days, but it was from the strength of my embrace.
Eleonora hopped on a chair across from us, her little legs dangling. She lifted her brow at me, still refusing to smile.
“Corrado,” Alcina said, touching my face. “Tell me, or I will think it is worse than it is.”
“I’m looking at a hundred years,” I said.
She stared into my eyes,